Flats in London
March 14, 2010 10:30 AM Subscribe
Daughter is possibly moving to London and will need to rent a 1 bedroom flat in a good neighborhood. What should she expect to pay per month? Where is a good place to find a list of flats that are available to rent? Will it hard to find a place that will accept cats?
This is 'previously' territory, and it's hard to offer good advice without knowing where your daughter would be working/studying/spending her days.
1BRs come at a premium in London, and house-shares are more common for new arrivals, even if it's only on a temporary basis. As for cats, it's anecdata but my sense is that there aren't as many rentals which explicitly prohibit them compared to many US cities, and I've known plenty of London renters with cats.
posted by holgate at 10:46 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
1BRs come at a premium in London, and house-shares are more common for new arrivals, even if it's only on a temporary basis. As for cats, it's anecdata but my sense is that there aren't as many rentals which explicitly prohibit them compared to many US cities, and I've known plenty of London renters with cats.
posted by holgate at 10:46 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
As far as cats are concerned, if your daughter's thinking of bringing her own cat to the UK, she will be faced with a whole new mountain of expense and heartache. Britain has some of the strictest quarantine regulations in the world. Virtually all mammals, apart from horses and farm livestock, are liable to be subjected to a 6-month quarantine period in an approved quarantine facility, unless the cat qualifies under the PETS scheme (known colloquially as the 'pet passport').
Yes, six months when you are not allowed even to touch your pet. My vet told me once that the percentage of animals that die in quarantine is much higher than in pets living with their owners.
Your daughter would also need to obtain a license to import her cat . Most quarantine kennels would apply for this on her behalf, if she uses their kennels to store her cat. It is about £200 per month for cat quarantine fees.
A one-bed flat in a good neighbourhood will be at least £800, probably nearer £1,000, excluding utilities, for which she should allow £100 per month for council tax and another £100 per month for gas, water and electricity.
posted by essexjan at 12:52 PM on March 14, 2010
Yes, six months when you are not allowed even to touch your pet. My vet told me once that the percentage of animals that die in quarantine is much higher than in pets living with their owners.
Your daughter would also need to obtain a license to import her cat . Most quarantine kennels would apply for this on her behalf, if she uses their kennels to store her cat. It is about £200 per month for cat quarantine fees.
A one-bed flat in a good neighbourhood will be at least £800, probably nearer £1,000, excluding utilities, for which she should allow £100 per month for council tax and another £100 per month for gas, water and electricity.
posted by essexjan at 12:52 PM on March 14, 2010
(Maybe a derail -- nothing in Flaka's profile that says where she (or daughter) is located so quarantine may not even be an issue -- but:)
six months when you are not allowed even to touch your pet
Not so. The quarantine is to keep your pet isolated from other animals, not from you.
We brought my wife's dog over from the US to the UK; there may have been an initial period of a few weeks where we were not allowed to visit him (it was a while ago, I forget the details) but after that we were free to spend time with him in his run during the kennel's opening hours.
But yes, it's tough on both the pet and the owner; and it is expensive.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:35 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
six months when you are not allowed even to touch your pet
Not so. The quarantine is to keep your pet isolated from other animals, not from you.
We brought my wife's dog over from the US to the UK; there may have been an initial period of a few weeks where we were not allowed to visit him (it was a while ago, I forget the details) but after that we were free to spend time with him in his run during the kennel's opening hours.
But yes, it's tough on both the pet and the owner; and it is expensive.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:35 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
RightMove is the standard lettings site and will let you choose your criteria regarding size, area, etc and email you alerts for rentals meeting your specifications.
posted by the latin mouse at 2:21 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by the latin mouse at 2:21 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I lived in Islington for a year; a great neighborhood, even if a bit yuppie-fied. Only a bus or tube ride away from loads of stuff. Plus a big Sainsbury's near Chapel Market. The nieghborhood is pricey, though -- i.e. I reiterate what others said above about it being quite expensive in the central areas.
I have almost no experience with the neighborhoods around Clapham Common, but the one time I was down there (in 2005) it was charming.
posted by midatlanticwanderer at 2:24 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have almost no experience with the neighborhoods around Clapham Common, but the one time I was down there (in 2005) it was charming.
posted by midatlanticwanderer at 2:24 PM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
The assertion that one bed flats cost £800/month is ridiculous. I know people who've lived in studios in Archway (very posh area) for less than £500/month and they allowed cats. Utilities should be nowhere near £100/month either.
Finding somewhere that will take cats is pretty tough though. You won't be able to be picky.
Gumtree is your best bet with Rightmove slightly less useful. You should be able to find something decent for about £600/month although a room in a flatshare will give you a much better standard of living and much more flexibility.
posted by turkeyphant at 2:28 PM on March 14, 2010
Finding somewhere that will take cats is pretty tough though. You won't be able to be picky.
Gumtree is your best bet with Rightmove slightly less useful. You should be able to find something decent for about £600/month although a room in a flatshare will give you a much better standard of living and much more flexibility.
posted by turkeyphant at 2:28 PM on March 14, 2010
The assertion that one bed flats cost £800/month is ridiculous.
With respect, I'd disagree. Two data points: I lived in Stroud Greed in a very small ground floor one bed at £960 per month, plus council tax and utilities. I then lived in Southfields in a similar (albeit slightly larger, nicer) flat at £1060 per month.
Both flats were moderately well appointed, partially furnished, walking distance to amenities and the tube; zones 2 and 3 respectively.
A quick survey of my friends currently renting reveals that that's pretty much on the money. Admittedly, this was pre-property crash (just), so the rents in the last few months may have gone down a few percentage points.
While you can certainly find one bed places for £600 per month, they'll tend to be quite some ways from Central London, if that's important to your daughter.
posted by generichuman at 2:42 PM on March 14, 2010
With respect, I'd disagree. Two data points: I lived in Stroud Greed in a very small ground floor one bed at £960 per month, plus council tax and utilities. I then lived in Southfields in a similar (albeit slightly larger, nicer) flat at £1060 per month.
Both flats were moderately well appointed, partially furnished, walking distance to amenities and the tube; zones 2 and 3 respectively.
A quick survey of my friends currently renting reveals that that's pretty much on the money. Admittedly, this was pre-property crash (just), so the rents in the last few months may have gone down a few percentage points.
While you can certainly find one bed places for £600 per month, they'll tend to be quite some ways from Central London, if that's important to your daughter.
posted by generichuman at 2:42 PM on March 14, 2010
moveflat has come through for me fairly consistently, both as tenant and as subletter. Also, each time I used it to place ads as a subletter, the respondents were all women, so that's another data point (fwiw).
posted by war wrath of wraith at 2:54 PM on March 14, 2010
posted by war wrath of wraith at 2:54 PM on March 14, 2010
As you're posting this on behalf of your daughter, I'm guessing she's coming here as a student or a recent graduate.
On that basis, I'd (as previous posters) recommend that she considers a flatshare. It can give her a really good way of meeting new people and getting to know London. And (as previous posters have mentioned) gumtree is probably the best starting point! But she'd have to come to London to do that - most people looking for flatmates will "interview" prospective flatmates to make sure that they'll get along with everyone in the house.
As well, you probably want to consider where she wants to live. London's big, and getting from place to place can take an hour or more, so making sure she has an easy commute to her university / workplace is very important. The TFL website (www.tfl.gov.uk) can help you work out commuting routes. While the trains can be good (SW London), the tube tends to run more frequently and later than trains do, so if she's going to go out in town a lot, that's something to consider too.
As for prices, it can vary hugely - the posts above give you an idea of the spread. I'd go more on the £800 pcm than £600 for a decent 1 bed flat - significantly less for a flatshare though, often with better facilities.
The cat obviously makes it more difficult - many leases will stipulate "no pets". But it's often something that can be negotiated.
posted by finding.perdita at 3:11 PM on March 14, 2010
On that basis, I'd (as previous posters) recommend that she considers a flatshare. It can give her a really good way of meeting new people and getting to know London. And (as previous posters have mentioned) gumtree is probably the best starting point! But she'd have to come to London to do that - most people looking for flatmates will "interview" prospective flatmates to make sure that they'll get along with everyone in the house.
As well, you probably want to consider where she wants to live. London's big, and getting from place to place can take an hour or more, so making sure she has an easy commute to her university / workplace is very important. The TFL website (www.tfl.gov.uk) can help you work out commuting routes. While the trains can be good (SW London), the tube tends to run more frequently and later than trains do, so if she's going to go out in town a lot, that's something to consider too.
As for prices, it can vary hugely - the posts above give you an idea of the spread. I'd go more on the £800 pcm than £600 for a decent 1 bed flat - significantly less for a flatshare though, often with better facilities.
The cat obviously makes it more difficult - many leases will stipulate "no pets". But it's often something that can be negotiated.
posted by finding.perdita at 3:11 PM on March 14, 2010
generichuman: "The assertion that one bed flats cost £800/month is ridiculous.
With respect, I'd disagree. Two data points: I lived in Stroud Greed in a very small ground floor one bed at £960 per month, plus council tax and utilities. I then lived in Southfields in a similar (albeit slightly larger, nicer) flat at £1060 per month.
Both flats were moderately well appointed, partially furnished, walking distance to amenities and the tube; zones 2 and 3 respectively."
For each of your two examples, there are dozens of examples of fully furnished one beds in great zone 2 locations for less than £700/month. It's perfectly doable if you don't have unrealistic expectations. If she's a student, a £600/month place should be plenty nice enough.
However, I would reiterate (especially if she's a student) that there's really no good reason to get a one bed flat rather than sharing.
If the cat turns out to be a major issue, I know people have had luck by offering a larger deposit to landlords.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:27 PM on March 14, 2010
With respect, I'd disagree. Two data points: I lived in Stroud Greed in a very small ground floor one bed at £960 per month, plus council tax and utilities. I then lived in Southfields in a similar (albeit slightly larger, nicer) flat at £1060 per month.
Both flats were moderately well appointed, partially furnished, walking distance to amenities and the tube; zones 2 and 3 respectively."
For each of your two examples, there are dozens of examples of fully furnished one beds in great zone 2 locations for less than £700/month. It's perfectly doable if you don't have unrealistic expectations. If she's a student, a £600/month place should be plenty nice enough.
However, I would reiterate (especially if she's a student) that there's really no good reason to get a one bed flat rather than sharing.
If the cat turns out to be a major issue, I know people have had luck by offering a larger deposit to landlords.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:27 PM on March 14, 2010
Where she should live depends on where she's going to work/study. Some lovely parts of London have very bad transport links; other areas that appear to be close to each other can take over an hour to commute to. As a general rule rent drops the further from the centre you are, but not all good neighbourhoods are central and not all central neighbourhoods are good.
posted by Hogshead at 3:53 PM on March 14, 2010
posted by Hogshead at 3:53 PM on March 14, 2010
Derail: If the cat is going to go to quarantine, my advice don't do it. My folks lived abroad a lot for some years and had cats that went into quarantine. No matter how good the facilities, it's a miserable life. It's easier if there are two cats that get on. For a single cat, it is basically like six months in solitary, and best avoided if possible before you even get to the issue of costs.
1 bed flats in "good" areas are not cheap. But there are lots of perfectly safe, pleasant areas to pick from. A good guide is to stick within Zone 2 on the tube. It can get a little rougher round the edges in some parts of East London, but by and large most areas are ok. You can normally get a decent enough rough feel by what the area round the tube station feels like.
A two bed flat is much cheaper per head. Essentially you're dividing up the cost of the communal areas, which brings rents down by a third.
For rental, gumtree is a decent place to look and will give you a good sense of prices.
posted by MuffinMan at 11:39 PM on March 14, 2010
1 bed flats in "good" areas are not cheap. But there are lots of perfectly safe, pleasant areas to pick from. A good guide is to stick within Zone 2 on the tube. It can get a little rougher round the edges in some parts of East London, but by and large most areas are ok. You can normally get a decent enough rough feel by what the area round the tube station feels like.
A two bed flat is much cheaper per head. Essentially you're dividing up the cost of the communal areas, which brings rents down by a third.
For rental, gumtree is a decent place to look and will give you a good sense of prices.
posted by MuffinMan at 11:39 PM on March 14, 2010
Judging by her other posts, flacka appears to be in the USA.
I'll second the suggestions to look for a flat-share, rather than a 1-bedroom flat of her own. I also agree that £800/month is more likely to be accurate than £600, especially in a good area.
Either way, Gumtree is a good place to look - I've found both my London flats from there. I would caution against responding to any ad that doesn't have a phone number - there are a number of ads there which are clearly fake (unreasonably cheap for the area, but you wouldn't know that if you don't know London). These may be linked to a scam where "landlords" ask for cash up front; don't do this without at least seeing the property.
A few points that haven't been made, where norms may differ from your experience:
- she'll have to pay council tax - this can be around £800/year.
- landlords will want references - potentially from both an employer (with proof of income) and a previous landlord [as a foreigner, I didn't have any of this, and ended up offering to pay a higher bond instead, as I had plenty of savings].
- 1 month rent and 1 month (or up to 2 months) bond in advance is standard.
- The bond must be paid into a recognised deposit protection scheme. Ask for the details of the scheme. If you don't get them, look out.
- bills are the tenant's responsibility - figure electricity (+ possibly gas), water, phone, and a TV licence [this last one is a big one for landlords, because they don't want the licence people coming round to chase payment]
- flats are generally rented furnished (bed, drawers, wardrobes, tables and chairs, washing machine, oven, maybe some other things).
posted by Infinite Jest at 6:12 AM on March 15, 2010
I'll second the suggestions to look for a flat-share, rather than a 1-bedroom flat of her own. I also agree that £800/month is more likely to be accurate than £600, especially in a good area.
Either way, Gumtree is a good place to look - I've found both my London flats from there. I would caution against responding to any ad that doesn't have a phone number - there are a number of ads there which are clearly fake (unreasonably cheap for the area, but you wouldn't know that if you don't know London). These may be linked to a scam where "landlords" ask for cash up front; don't do this without at least seeing the property.
A few points that haven't been made, where norms may differ from your experience:
- she'll have to pay council tax - this can be around £800/year.
- landlords will want references - potentially from both an employer (with proof of income) and a previous landlord [as a foreigner, I didn't have any of this, and ended up offering to pay a higher bond instead, as I had plenty of savings].
- 1 month rent and 1 month (or up to 2 months) bond in advance is standard.
- The bond must be paid into a recognised deposit protection scheme. Ask for the details of the scheme. If you don't get them, look out.
- bills are the tenant's responsibility - figure electricity (+ possibly gas), water, phone, and a TV licence [this last one is a big one for landlords, because they don't want the licence people coming round to chase payment]
- flats are generally rented furnished (bed, drawers, wardrobes, tables and chairs, washing machine, oven, maybe some other things).
posted by Infinite Jest at 6:12 AM on March 15, 2010
Globrix is another good site for checking out rentals from multiple agencies. The ability to search by map is very useful, and good for getting a feel for the difference in prices for different areas. Where she'll want to live will depend largely on where she's working/studying, so it's hard to make suggestions without more info.
Nthing the idea that a one-bed will be closer to £800/month, if she wants to be anywhere in zone 2-3 (don't even think about zone 1 for that kind of price!). If she's young and a student, flatsharing is really the way to go.
posted by shewhoeats at 8:23 AM on March 15, 2010
Nthing the idea that a one-bed will be closer to £800/month, if she wants to be anywhere in zone 2-3 (don't even think about zone 1 for that kind of price!). If she's young and a student, flatsharing is really the way to go.
posted by shewhoeats at 8:23 AM on March 15, 2010
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the places i've been looking for flats are mostly on flatshare websites, but since you said she's looking for a 1-bedroom flat, try Gumtree. it's a popular site (moreso than Craigslist) with plenty of listings.
if she wants a 1-bedroom flat to herself, it can be pretty pricey, especially if it's in a good neighbour and/or fairly central. from what i've seen, that can run you about 800/month and up.
i'm sure there will be more people along that can help with better answers, but i thought i'd give you my perspective since i'm in the middle of finding something!
posted by gursky at 10:42 AM on March 14, 2010